Apparatus for finishing buttons



Dec. 16, 19. F, LACH APPARATUS FOR F INI SHING BUTTONS Filed April 2, 1938 Wil 7*- W Y INVENTQR PEDEE/C/f [AC/7' ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 10, 1 940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to button manufacture and more particularly to the manufacture of molded buttons. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for piercing and filing the molded buttons. An: other object is to provide a simple and efiective means for piercing and filing the buttons while polishing the same. Another object is to improve the manufacture of molded buttons. Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the in vention is further disclosed.

In accordance with these objects I have devised the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing of which'the following is a full and complete description. In the drawing Fig. l is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a'sectional along plane 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one feature of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the same Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View; Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a molded button; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a finished button.

In the manufacture of molded buttons the button B as it comes from the mold has the holes thereof partially blocked by films A and a fin C around the edge thereof substantially as indicated in Fig. 7. Before the button can be utilized films A and fin C must be removed and the button must be polished. The finished button is indicated in Fig. 8.

In accordance with the present invention the 5 buttons mixed with suitable polishing material are loaded into drum D through cover F, the interior of the drum being provided with button piercing and edging means M, and the drum D is rotated by any convenient means such as indicated at E for a time interval adapted to obtain the piercing, edging and polishing result desired.

The speed of rotation for drum D is adjusted with respect to button size and composition as well as load to avoid injury to the buttons.

The button piercing and edging means M of the present invention comprises a bar I provided with two or more rows of spaced pins 2 preferably angularly disposed away from each other as indicated in Fig. 6. The simplest construction of means M is a wooden bar I through which nails 2 are driven in the manner and in the relative position indicated in Fig. 6. The diameter of the nails 2 may vary widely without departure from the present invention as long as the diameter is less than that of the button hole as may also the length of the nail.

Bar I is mounted, as indicated inFig. '2 in spaced relation to a side wall 3 of drum D with the nails 2 extending in the direction of rotation .5 of drum D as shown by arrows. Preferably drum D is octagonal in cross-section as shown as I have found that better mixing by tumbling of the material in the drum is obtained with this eightsided drum than with a six or four-sided drum 10 although either of the latter are preferable to a rounded drum.

vAs indicated in Fig. 2, the thus positioned bar I moves or combs through the tumbling mixture of buttons and polishing'material, as the drum D 15 rotates and the pins or nails 2 pierce and pick up one or more of the buttons B as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6, carrying'the same up and around as the bar I is' rotated. In passing or combing through the mixture the nails 2 chip away and otherwise abrade the fins C on the buttons B. In the meantime the continuous agitation and tumbling of the buttons within the polishing mixture puts a fine polish on the exterior surface of the buttons and Within a relatively short time interval the piercing, edging and polishing operation is completed.

It is desirable to provide means to adjust the spacing of bar I from the side wall 3 of drum D. One convenient means is indicated in Fig. 5. The wall 4 is provided with a recess 5 adapted to receive the end of bar I. The bottom of the recess 5 is provided with a plurality of holes 6 spaced outwardly from side wall 3 and the end of bar I is provided with a spring pressed pin I adapted to seat in the recess holes 6, thereby to retain the bar I in any desired spaced relation to side wall 3. Bar I being of wood can be flexed to dislodge pin 1 from one recess 6 for movement to another position in a second recess 6.

From the above description and drawing it is apparent that many modifications and adaptations of the present invention may be made without departure from the nature and scope thereof and all such modifications and departures are contemplated as may fall within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for finishing molded buttons comprising in combination a rotatable tumbling drum and a comb means, said comb means consisting of a plurality of bar members each provided on one face thereof with a plurality of spaced pins, and means to sustain said bar members in circumferentially spaced relation adjacent to the interior surface of said drum and in parallel relation to the rotating axis of the drum with the said pin members extending and pointing in the direction of drum rotation.

2. Apparatus for finishing molded buttons comprising a rotatable drum, the interior of said drum being provided with a plurality of circumierentially spaced comb members lying in a plane parallel with the axis of rotation of said drum, each said comb member consisting of a base provided with a plurality of spacedpin members extending outwardly from one face thereof and means to locate said comb members in desired spaced relation to the inner rotating surface of the said drum with the said pin members extending in the direction of rotation of the saidv drum.

3. In the apparatus of claim 2', the said plurality of spaced pin members being disposed in a double row staggered with respect to each other and the pins of each said row being angularly disposed outwardly with respect to each other, the diameter of the said pins being less than the diameter of the holes in said buttons and the spacing between the spaced rows and adjacent pins being greater than the diameter of the said buttons.

4. Apparatus for finishing molded buttons comprising a tumbling drum octagonal in cross-section, means to rotate said drum about its axis, a plurality of comb members one for each side wall of said drum, each said comb member consisting of a bar member provided with a plurality of spaced pins along one face thereof and means to sustain each said bar member in spaced relation to and adjacent an inner side Wall of the said drum with the said pins extending in the direction of drum rotation. I

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the said plurality of pin members being disposed in substantially parallel and staggered spaced alignment along the said bar surface and extending outwardly from the bar surface at an angle relative to each other.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, the diameters of said pins being substantially less than the diameters of the buttons to be finished in the said apparatus and the spacing between the said pins being substantially greater than the diameters of the said buttons.

7.. Apparatus for polishing, piercing and edging molded buttons comprising a rotatable container adapted to receive a mixture of buttons and polishing material and a comb member provided with a plurality of spaced pin members each having a diameter less than the diameter of the button hole opening and a length at least greater than the button thickness and a pin spacing approximating the button diameter whereby the pin spacing will edge the buttons and the pins will pierce the button holes and means for recurrentiy passing the comb member through the mixture in the container with the pin ends extending forwardly.

8. Apparatus for polishing, piercing and edging molded buttons comprising a rotatable tumbling barrel adapted to receive a mixture of buttons and polishing material and a comb member providedwith a plurality of spaced pin members each having a diameter less than the diameter of the button hole opening and a length at least greater than the button thickness and a pin spacing approximating the button diameter whereby the pin spacing will edge the buttons and the pins will pierce the button holes, and means vfor recurrently passing the comb member through the mixture in the barrel during barrel rotation with the pin ends of said pin members extending forwardly.

FREDERICK LACH. 

